In a communication network, it is often desirable to provide conferencing service whereby a plurality of customers who are geographically separated can engage a conference bridge to exchange information. The information can be exchanged in the form of voice messages over telephone lines coupled to an audio bridge or the customers can exchange data via a data bridge. One such combined audio and data conference arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,189 issued to D. E. Herr, R. Metz, L. E. Suk, P. R. Wiley and D. F. Winchell on Oct. 2, 1984.
While the Herr et al. arrangement has proven commercial success, it is essentially a dial-up system whereby the conference host or originator seizes control of the conference bridge and summons each of the conferees by dialing a respective station address. Thus, where a large conference is to be established, the burden of dialing all the conferees is on the host of the conference.
Other arrangements known as "meet-me" conference arrangements are utilized by having each conferee dial the address of the conference bridge at a prearranged agreed upon time. One such conference arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,144,518 issued to B. D. Lummis on Aug. 11, 1964.In the Lummis patent, each leg of a conference is assigned to an individual terminal on a connector switch. By dialing the directory number assigned to the conference bridge, each conferee can establish a voice connection to a corresponding leg of the bridge.
While the Lummis and similar meet-me conference arrangements are suitable for their intended purpose, each conferee has equal status on the conference, i.e., there is no controller, and there are no special service provisions such as the ability to add on new conferees, etc.